Roses Because Aishiteru
by Mellierox66
Summary: Ino is sick of her boring job at her family flower shop. Worst of all, she doesn't have a boyfriend and she's starting to get a little desperate. What will eventually bring the perfect boy too her? InoxGaara. Will be rated M for lemon in the future.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Comment: Sooooo... I have a Naruto fanfiction! I'm Warning you right now, if you don't like Gaara and Ino as a couple, I wouldn't read it. Haahaahaa. Anyway, I was looking through random fanfictions when I came across one that was called "Flowers for Gaara" ... And I was like WHY HAVE I NOT THOUGHT OF THIS COUPLE BEFORE? It made me feel all happy inside :3 I feel like a giddy fangirl around anything Gaara... Or Naruto for that matter xD **

**ALSO, please review... I don't want to be one of those people who threaten your life for reviews.. So don't make it come down to that :D Kay? Well enjoy ;D**

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><p>After weeks of working in a deserted flower shop, time sort of seems to go by slower than it normally would. The number of customers I've been getting recently has declined and no one ever comes to visit me. So, to pass time, I clean the whole store two or three times a day, and recite the meaning of each flower and what occasion it's best for. It gets pretty old doing it day after day, but at least it gives me something to do all day.<p>

On this particular Friday afternoon, I'm sweeping the floor for the third time today. It's pointless since no one has walked through the door since early morning. My movements are becoming more robotic as I do the same thing for days on end. I welcome the customers in a monotone voice. It's probably not helping the shop get any business, but I can't help it. I'm so bored I'm literally contemplating suicide. Could you imagine me, Ino Yamanaka, the legendary beauty of Konoha, suicidal? I don't know about you but it would be extremely difficult if I weren't feeling it right now.

I mean, I should be out with friends right now! Or better yet, a boyfriend! It's Friday night and I'm cooped up in a shop that barely gets any business while my friends are probably out on dates and shopping for new clothes. And guess what. I'm sitting here in dirt-stained clothes waiting for a customer to come in and talk to me for a minimum of five minutes. Heh. It's a sad, sad day when the height of my day is an old lady coming in to buy a flower for her grandson.

While I'm caught up in my thoughts, I barely notice the door open and barely hear the soft ringing letting me know a new customer arrived.

When I look up, I come face-to-face with bulging eyes, bushy eyebrows, and a bad haircut. That obnoxious green spandex uniform can't be mistaken for any other person. (Except Guy of course.)

I smile inwardly at myself and make sure my hair and makeup look just as good as any other day. I lean forward on the counter and stick my ass out.

'Oh... GOD!' I think to myself with disgust, ' I must be EXTREMELY desperate if I flirt with Lee...' I sigh and stand up straight, cross my arms, and raise one eyebrow at the odd boy.

"Welcome to... Lee, what are you doing?" Lee stopped in the middle of his lap around the shop to stare at me with those beady eyes of his and throw a thumbs-up my way.

"I'm looking for a flower for my sensei!"

"Alright...Let me know when you find one..." I trail off, instantly regretting I ever hoped for someone to visit me at my part-time job.

When Rock Lee had found a flower for his annoying sensei, I frowned when the flower he picked meant 'Youth'.

'I wonder if he even knows its meaning...' I ponder and take the money from the tai-jutsu genius.

I relaxed the moment Lee walked out the door just to have him walk right back through that god-forsaken door.

"Oh yes, the Hokage also wanted me to tell you to visit her office. I assume she meant as soon as possible."

My eyebrow twitched in agitation.

"And that's why you were here in the first place?"

"Yes!" Lee responded. "I was distracted by all of these flowers and thought immediately of Guy-sensei!" He winked at me and I felt my whole body shudder in discomfort.

"I see..." I breathed with a sigh. Rock Lee once again bounced out the door with a goofy smile on his lips. I watched him go, sending him an envious glare.

Why is it that everyone else is smiling and having a better time than I am? Why is it that I'm stuck in this shitty shop with virtually nothing to do all day while the rest of the village is out partying? It's not very often that I get envious of anyone else. But tonight, I'm envious of everyone outside this hell-hole.

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><p>I hesitated outside the Hokage's door. I completely forgot how cold it was outside and ran all the way here, shivering, as the cold penetrated my thin jacket and caused my teeth to chatter. Spring gave me false hopes of warm weather.<p>

I reached out for the knob just to have the door slam me in the face. The person on the other side of this door is going to get an Ino ass-kicking in a second.

I stand there patiently waiting for the other person to apologize or at least show their face. When they didn't, I swung open the door to find a bleeding Jiraiya with an obvious nosebleed. I honestly didn't want to know what caused that pervert's nosebleed. I'm just glad it's not me. Jiraiya winked at me and I was weirded out but... somehow a little... flattered? 'Alright Ino,' I think to myself. 'You REALLY need to get yourself a boyfriend.' I sighed and slowly walked into the Hokage's office.

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><p><strong>SOOOOOO? You like it? :D <strong>

**No Gaara yet...Sorry. **

**Also, isn't Jiraiya so creepy that he's cool? That's how I see him. Hahaha... REVIEW PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ^.^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hm... I don't think 1 review is sufficient for over 50 hits. Haahaa. Please review, even if it's a criticism. I don't mean a hate comment. Please, keep those to yourself. Alrighty, well enjoy this chapter, cause you might not get a new one for a week or so. **

**Kigaroo: YES. She desperately needs a boyfriend. Can you tell? xD It's been a while, lemme tell you.**

**Also, thank you so much for all the favorites for this story and me as an author :D**

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><p>Turns out the Hokage called for Hinata, Naruto, and me. We were to pack all of our belongings immediately and meet at the Konoha gates at exactly 10:45 tonight. This only gave me three hours and I doubted I could find a way to fit all of my makeup, clothes, and ninja gear in one bag. I trudged all the way to my house hoping to put it off for a while.<p>

What could the Hokage possibly want us to do that had to wait until we got to the gates? Maybe it was an S-ranked mission. A smile played at my lips as I mulled over the thought. Maybe the village is finally seeing how great I actually am. Plus I won't be stuck in a room with more plants than air molecules. I picked up my pace, suddenly somewhat excited about the new mission.

I threw open the door to my house after unlocking it to find it empty. 'They must be on another mission.' I thought tiredly. I was a bit relieved not to see my parents right now. My dad is a total pervert and gets a little childish sometimes. My mother, on the other hand, is always suspicious of me. That's probably the reason she keeps me in the shop all the time. The one time a guy ever walks me home and kisses me good-bye, my mother is watching from the window. Just my luck, right?

I change into my normal purple clothes I wear for missions and pull the ribbon holding my hair up. The blonde tresses cascade over my shoulders and down my back. It always feels so good to take my hair down after a long day of wearing it up. I run my fingers through my hair to get rid of any knots and start packing.

After three outfits, all my makeup, and hair accessories are packed, there's barely any room for my weapons and what-not. I sacrifice a few bows and a mesh undershirt. Sadly, the ninja world isn't fit for the fashion world. I frown and look at the clock. I have just over an hour and a half before I had to be at the gates. I spent the next hour looking around my house for anything I may have forgotten to pack. I took a plum for the kitchen counter and flung my bag over my shoulder. Locking the door behind me, I started my stroll toward the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village.

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><p>"I'm riding a WHAT?"<p>

My voice could be heard from a mile away as a stared disbelievingly at the big-chested woman in front of me. My eyes darted between her and the enormous white beast beside her.

"A horse, Ino. What? Have you never ridden one before?"

"N-no. When was I supposed to have ridden a horse?" I scrunch my face up and say, "I detest those creatures anyway." I jumped in surprise as the horse narrowed its eyes at me and huffed through its nose. Yep. I definitely loathed those things.

"I guess you'll just have to learn to like them because you're going to be riding one to Suna. That's about a three day trip with three people on your team." Tsunade paused then continued. "Where are Hinata and Naruto anyway? I told them 10:45 didn't I?"

"Knowing him," I sighed. "He probably fell asleep and forgot. It's not like Hinata to be late though..."

The Hokage and I waited for thirty minutes and there was still no sign of either Hinata or Naruto. The Hokage said I could complete the mission solo and said to be back in ten days time. She mumbled something about irresponsible young ninjas and broken clocks.

She didn't give many details about the mission except that I was to go to the Sand Village and arrange to meet with the Kazekage. She handed me a letter which I was to give to the Kazekage as soon as I get to Suna. She advised me that the letter was of great importance and could destroy the village if it were put into the wrong hands. Mine included.

Instead of mounting the horse, I simply attached my bag to its back and walked beside it, guiding it by its reins. There was no way I was going to ride that disgusting creature.

I was somehow glad I was traveling to Suna alone. Even though I was dreading being alone just a few hours ago, my recent contact with other people left me dreaming of solitude. It's weird how much someone can change within a few weeks. I mean, just look at Sakura... Or even Naruto for that matter. They both changed for the better. Actually, everyone around me seems to be getting stronger but me...

I stop abruptly and the wind swirls around me, making sand fly into my face and hair. I stare up at the silver moon and smile sadly.

Maybe I'm not as great as I always thought I was. Maybe all this time I confused my looks for skill and strength.

'No.' I shake my head. 'That can't be it.'

I had strength whether people recognized it or not. I may have beauty, but I have skills too. And even though my looks would get me to a certain point, I rely on other parts of me to survive in this world. A world filled with hatred, sorrow, and death. A world filled with love, faith, and laughter. My world. The shinobi world.

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><p><strong>No Gaara in this chapter either D: <strong>

**I'm sorry! I was originally going to write less in this chapter and have Gaara come in at the end, but I suppose things didn't work out that way... *Sigh***

**He'll come next chapter for sure! I promise! (:**


	3. Chapter 3

** OH MY GODS! Thank you guys so much for reviewing xD It makes me literally squeal when I see "_ has reviewed Flowers Because Aishiteru" in my inbox. GAHHH. Thank you so much... I worry Ino's extremely out of character... And I REALLY hope Gaara isn't D: Cause he's just too awesome to be screwed up by me... Haahaa. ENJOY ;D**

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><p>I can honestly say this has been the WORST day of my life. There's sand in everything. There's sand in my hair, clothes, mouth, bag, eyes. EVERYTHING. The worst part is, there aren't any showers around to clean up in. I'm even hoping for rain at this point. I don't care if it makes my hair frizzy. This sand is awful! I can't take a bite out of my pocky without sand being blasted into my face. Hopefully, it will be better inside the walls of Suna. If it isn't, either someone's getting an Ino ass-kicking, or someone will be reading my farewell letter.<p>

Just as my knees begin to wobble and give out, I see a shadow in the distance. As I get closer and the dust is less dense, I see the outline of the Sand Village.

An exultant sigh escapes me and I pick up my pace. I am now very eager to walk through the gates of the largest village in the desert.

However, when I reach the gates, the guards eye me suspiciously. They don't seem to know the Hokage sent me, so I brought this to their knowledge. I showed them her note and they allowed me inside, though still a bit on edge. Seems like they have pretty tight security. Guess that's not such a bad thing for such a big village.

I was relieved to find that inside the walls, the sand-filled wind was non-existent and the dust in the air was barely noticeable. It's a good thing, or I would have left as fast as I came.

The style of the village differed greatly from Konoha. The buildings were made from hardened sand, and sand superimposed the road and paths. It was beautiful in a strange way.

I turned my face up toward the Sun for a moment, soaking in its warmth. I smiled as I felt the Sun's inviting rays warming my skin. The heat on the surface of my skin was extremely welcoming. I was already in love with this village. There was no humidity to ruin my hair. No rain for that matter. It was a blissful environment and I felt like I was in ecstasy.

I had to ask a few people to point me in the direction of the Kazekage's building. It was difficult to find, let me tell you. But, when I arrived, I was given entrance and an escort to the Kazekage's office.

Now that I think about it, I didn't really know who the new Kazekage was. I had just heard that there was a new one. Hopefully he'd be friendly and not some old fart like the previous Hokage. Old age had some serious disadvantages. Wrinkly skin is probably the worse. I shivered at the thought of aging. It's a good thing I was a ninja and probably wouldn't live past thirty-five.

My escort deserted me at the door to the Kazekage's office. I suddenly felt very alone... And very nervous.

My hand reached for the door handle, but hesitated a little. I should probably knock...

"Come in."

A deep voice came from the other side of the door. Apparently he already knew I was here...

I silently and slowly opened the door. I peeked my head in first then the rest of my body followed.

Who I saw sitting at the desk made me suddenly freeze.

It was Sabaku No Gaara, the same Gaara that had killed so many people without a second thought. Why was HE the new Kazekage?

The red-head just watched me from his desk, his hands crossed in front of his mouth. He looked powerful... and dangerous. I could feel his eyes boring into mine. It was overwhelming, really. But he tore his gaze away before I could completely collapse from his intense stare.

"The Hokage sent you?" He asked from behind folded hands.

"What? Oh yeah. Um, this letter was given to me to deliver to you. The Hokage said it's extremely important.

Gaara quickly took the letter from me and read over it. His scowl grew more defined with every line. Apparently he didn't like what was inside.

When he finished, his eye twitched in irritation and he crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it into the trashcan beside his desk.

"Erm... Kazekage-sama?"

"Please, just call me Gaara." He grumbled while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Um... Gaara-sama, what was in that letter that made you so angry?" I was thoroughly curious as to what the contents of the letter held. What in the world could have made the boy so angry?

Gaara's face slightly turned red and he looked like an embarrassed little boy.

"Nothing." He replied a little too quickly.

I wasn't at all convinced and hastily reached for the paper, eager to get it before the Kazekage did.

I succeeded and started reading the message before Gaara could protest.

I could tell that Gaara wasn't like he used to be. He seemed so much nicer and just over-all better. I smiled as she rested my eyes on the letter.

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><p><em>Dear Kazekage, <em>

_ I've given Ino Yamanaka, Naruto Uzumaki, and Hinata Hyuuga the mission to deliver this message to you. It's not as urgent as they'll probably say it is. So don't worry. No major threats at the moment. _

_ The point in sending these three is to help you find a suitable bride. I know you aren't up for it, but believe me when I say you need one. _

_ Naruto is a good judge of character. I'm sure you already witnessed this. He'll help you with that part._

_ Hinata is perfect for judging a person's strength. She has an amazing ability to see people's strengths and weaknesses at first glance. She hasn't been wrong so far._

_ Finally, Ino will help you find a woman who is proper and dresses appropriately. She needs to have class to be the Kazekage's wife, no?_

_ So, now you see why I sent this letter. I hope it doesn't interfere with the alliance of our villages. Try not to take out your anger on my ninja, okay?_

_ -Hokage-Sama_

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><p>Wow. I'm pretty sure Tsunade was either drunk or hung-over when she wrote this. Why would she send me here by myself when it's obvious I can't do this alone? Plus, the Kazekage doesn't seem on-board with this whole situation.<p>

"Gaara-sama. What do you say, we start searching then?" I asked with an evil grin on my face. I was going to enjoy this more than I should.


End file.
